STATE HOUSE – Sen. Valarie J. Lawson (D–Dist. 14, East Providence) has introduced legislation (2019-S 0175) that would allow federal employees who are working during a government shutdown to receive unemployment benefits while they are working but not being paid.

“The government shutdown has inflicted considerable harm on federal employees and they are truly blameless in this situation. We have the opportunity to address this problem by creating a public policy that provides a safety net to prevent this from happening again. No one working for our nation should have to worry about struggling to survive and feed themselves and their families because of the dysfunction in Washington,” said Senator Lawson.

According to the legislation, when the federal employee eventually does receive their federal back pay, the employee must immediately repay any unemployment benefits received as a result of the federal government shutdown.

Senator Lawson’s legislation will be heard by the Senate Committee on Labor this Wednesday, January 30 at the RISE of the Senate (approximately 5 p.m.) in Room 212 of the State House.